Columbia Bartending Exam Questions And
Answers
Definition of the Dram Shop Act
you must make sure people don't drive drunk or endanger themselves, and you cannot serve
someone who is visibly intoxicated
Definition of Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)
The amount of alcohol in the bloodstream, measured as a percentage
Six main factors affecting BAC
sex/hormone levels, metabolism, size/weight, food consumption, rate of alcohol consumption,
ABV/proof, medication/drugs
J.I.R.C.
- Judgment (driving under the influence, trying to buy everyone a drink)
- Inhibitions (increased talkativeness, uncharacteristic behaviour)
- Reactions (slurred speech, forgetting someone's name)
- Coordination (dropping things, spilling drinks)
Definition of a standard drink
14 grams (or 0.5 fluid ounces) of pure alcohol; equivalent to 12 oz of beer, 5 oz of wine, and 1.5 oz of
hard liquor
Definition of ABV
alcohol by volume; the amount of the liquor that is comprised of alcohol, expressed as a percentage
Definition of proof
twice the ABV, expressed as a number
Definition of spirit (or hard liquor)
any distilled liquor that does not contain added sugar and has more than 40% ABV
Characteristics of vodka
- made from neutral grain
- colourless
Characteristics of gin
- made from neutral grain
- colourless
- juniper and botanicals
Characteristics of rum
- sweet taste and smell
- made from sugar cane or molasses
- can be aged
- white or light rum is colourless and un-aged or only slightly aged
, - dark rum brown and more aromatic due to a longer aging process
characteristics of tequila
- sweet and spicy taste
- made from blue agave
characteristics of whiskey
- made from neutral grains
- aged in oak
- dark color
- single malt/grain = made from single distillery
- blended = different distilleries
characteristics of bourbon
a type of American whiskey that must be made with at least 51% corn mash; dark liquor
two types of agave spirits and differences
tequila and mezcal; tequila is mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila; tequila must be made from blue
agave while mezcal is any agave based spirit
mezcal and tequila aging
0-2 months; mezcal = joven/blanco/abacado, tequila = blanco/silver/plato
2-11 months; reposado
1-2 years; anejo
3+ years; extra anejo
Characteristics of triple sec
an orange-flavoured liqueur
Rate at which free pouring pours liquid
about 1 oz per second ("one-one-thou-sand")
the speed rack
vodka, gin, light rum, tequila, triple sec, whisk(e)y, bourbon
Purposes of garnishes
- visual accompaniment
- extra flavour
- aroma
Rules of thumb for garnishing
- red drinks takes green garnishes
- blue drink take yellow garnishes
- tonic takes lime
- seltzer (or soda) takes lemon
Answers
Definition of the Dram Shop Act
you must make sure people don't drive drunk or endanger themselves, and you cannot serve
someone who is visibly intoxicated
Definition of Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)
The amount of alcohol in the bloodstream, measured as a percentage
Six main factors affecting BAC
sex/hormone levels, metabolism, size/weight, food consumption, rate of alcohol consumption,
ABV/proof, medication/drugs
J.I.R.C.
- Judgment (driving under the influence, trying to buy everyone a drink)
- Inhibitions (increased talkativeness, uncharacteristic behaviour)
- Reactions (slurred speech, forgetting someone's name)
- Coordination (dropping things, spilling drinks)
Definition of a standard drink
14 grams (or 0.5 fluid ounces) of pure alcohol; equivalent to 12 oz of beer, 5 oz of wine, and 1.5 oz of
hard liquor
Definition of ABV
alcohol by volume; the amount of the liquor that is comprised of alcohol, expressed as a percentage
Definition of proof
twice the ABV, expressed as a number
Definition of spirit (or hard liquor)
any distilled liquor that does not contain added sugar and has more than 40% ABV
Characteristics of vodka
- made from neutral grain
- colourless
Characteristics of gin
- made from neutral grain
- colourless
- juniper and botanicals
Characteristics of rum
- sweet taste and smell
- made from sugar cane or molasses
- can be aged
- white or light rum is colourless and un-aged or only slightly aged
, - dark rum brown and more aromatic due to a longer aging process
characteristics of tequila
- sweet and spicy taste
- made from blue agave
characteristics of whiskey
- made from neutral grains
- aged in oak
- dark color
- single malt/grain = made from single distillery
- blended = different distilleries
characteristics of bourbon
a type of American whiskey that must be made with at least 51% corn mash; dark liquor
two types of agave spirits and differences
tequila and mezcal; tequila is mezcal, but not all mezcal is tequila; tequila must be made from blue
agave while mezcal is any agave based spirit
mezcal and tequila aging
0-2 months; mezcal = joven/blanco/abacado, tequila = blanco/silver/plato
2-11 months; reposado
1-2 years; anejo
3+ years; extra anejo
Characteristics of triple sec
an orange-flavoured liqueur
Rate at which free pouring pours liquid
about 1 oz per second ("one-one-thou-sand")
the speed rack
vodka, gin, light rum, tequila, triple sec, whisk(e)y, bourbon
Purposes of garnishes
- visual accompaniment
- extra flavour
- aroma
Rules of thumb for garnishing
- red drinks takes green garnishes
- blue drink take yellow garnishes
- tonic takes lime
- seltzer (or soda) takes lemon
